LIBERAL Democrat Leader Nick Clegg received a grilling from further education students on a visit to Solihull College, days after his party “put on hold” its pledge to scrap tuition fees.

The MP visited the college to view new facilities and speak to Public Services Diploma students about how his party is proposing to tackle the issues affecting them.

The students, aged 16 to 18, many of whom want to work in the fire and police services, quizzed the leader about falling recruitment rates in the industry.

Mr Clegg told them his party would scrap the Government’s ID card scheme and instead invest money into employing more officers.

He said too much emphasis had been put on higher education as a sole pathway to employment and lauded the work of further education colleges and vocational courses to help get people of all ages into work.

Mr Clegg said: “I think further education has been the poor cousin of the debate in education for far too long. We’ve been obsessed with higher education and academic excellence. For many people it’s not the route they want to choose.”

On Monday the Liberal Democrats dropped £18 billion worth of spending pledges in light of the country’s debt levels.

It is now proposing to tackle tuition fees, which haunt thousands of graduates leaving university in debt, by proposing to phase them out over six years.

Mr Clegg added: “We remain the only party unanimously committed to reducing student debt. It’s going to take a little bit longer, but we are going to do it.”

Students also asked Mr Clegg questions about bankers’ bonuses and the damage caused by the MP expenses scandal.